File-cabinet for court-papers



(Mod el-) J. J. McLEAN. FILE GABINET FOR COURT PAPERS.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 26, 1881,.

5, m w 0 M... I! m m C N .2. m m/ M 9 .FILIIIL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" JOHN CLE N, 0F HILLSBOROUGH, ILLINOIS.

l' 'l LE -CABlNET FOR CO URT-PAPERS.

srnorrrcarron forming part of Letters l atentNo. 244,818, dated. July 26, 1881.

Application filed March 9 1881. Model.)

To all whom 't't may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, JOHN MCLEAN, of Hillsborough, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois, have'invented a newand holder which shall be so constructed that the. file-papers in different causes on the docket may be conveniently selected from and returned to their respective pigeon-holes, and which will exhibit at all times the absence of papers and by whom taken.

My invention consists in a certain arrangement of parts, as more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my cabinet with the wings open; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the cabinet as closed, showing the space intervening between two opposite sections of pockets for accommodating the projecting labeled ends of the files; and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the body of the cabinet, which may be of any suitable and convenient size; and B B represent the wings or folding parts of the cabinet, which are of the same height as the body A,.but only one-half the width thereof, and are hinged to the side of the body by the hinges a a, near the top and bottom of each wing, whereby the cabinet may be folded up close when desired.

The interior of the body A and of each of the wings B B is divided into compartments by the vertical partitions O C, which are prov vided upon both sides, at suitable distances apart, with the usual diagonal grooves, 0, into which sheet-metal plates E are inserted, to form pigeon-holes to contain the files of papers. As it is designed that the upper ends of the files shall project above the pockets, in

- order that labels upon the same shall indicate the contents thereof, I arrange the plates forming said pockets or pigeon-holes backwlthm the several sections of the cabinet, allowing an intervening space between the folded sections, in order that the said labels or projecting ends shall not interfere with the folding together of the said sections, as shown at F in in Fig. 2. This is an important feature of my invention, since the labels would be partially, if not entirely, concealed if the plates extended quite to the front or open face of the sections. In this manner a convenient folding cabinet is formed,which will not only securely inclose the files, but will hold them in such a manner that their contents will be -always indicated.

The lower corners of the wings B B are furnished with the casters 9 g, which cause the sections to open and close easily, and the front faces thereof are provided with the dowel-pins d d at top and bottom, which enter the corresponding holes d d inthe top and bottom boards of the body, to cause the sections to 'comeproperly together when the case is closed, and the wings or sections may be provided with suitable catches and locks for locking the case when closed to insure the safe-keeping of the papers.

The upper row of pigeon-holes in each of the sections is intended to be used for holding the cards of the different attorneys having cases on the docket, and the files, with the number and title of the case plainly written upon the wrapper, are to be placed according to the character of the proceeding, whether at common law, equity, or criminal proceeding, in the pigeon-holes of the respective sections intended for such actions, from whence they can be easily selected when called for, and easily returned to place, and when a file in any case is called for the card of the attorney to whom it is delivered is to be taken from the pigeon-hole above and placed in the place of the papers,which always indicates at a glance to any one in whose hands the papers are.

In case the file in any case becomes very large-40o large for the ordinary-sized pigeonhole-the plate next below may be removed, as shown at H in the drawings, thus increasing the size of the pigeon-hole to correspond with the size of the file.

It is obvious that instead of the diagonal grooves c in the partitions O diagonal cleats do not claim such aconstruction in itself; but

YVhat I claim is 1. A folding file-cabinet having narrow open pockets which are vertically adjustable in depth and have the outer ends of the plates by which they are formed set back from the contact-surfaces of the folding sections, whereby room ma y be provided between the sections for accommodating labels on the projecting ends of the files, as specified.

2. In a folding file-cabinet,the combination of upright body A and two hinged sections, B B, which are adapted to be folded close together and held in position by doweLpins d, and which are provided with narrow open pockets, formed by adjustable diagonal plates E, which are set back from the contact-surfaces of the said folding sections, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN J. MGLEAN.

Witnesses:

LEONARD G. FA'IH,

E1). S. Bonus. 

